A pest control specialist in France has allegedly shot his wife in the head during a rodent control operation, claiming he mistook her for a rat in the dark.
The 54-year-old woman was left fighting for her life following the incident at a refrigerated warehouse in Bondoufle, Essonne, on Saturday night.
Emergency services were called to the scene at around 10pm local time after reports that a woman had been shot.
Firefighters and emergency response teams found the victim with a serious head injury and rushed her to hospital. Her condition reportedly deteriorated rapidly after she arrived.
Police arrested an agitated man at the scene who identified himself as the victim’s husband.
The man, who also works as a professional exterminator, allegedly told investigators that he had fired his weapon during a rodent control operation and accidentally shot his wife.
The couple had reportedly been hired to carry out a sanitary culling operation at the food storage facility, using air rifles or shotguns to eliminate rodents.
According to local media reports, the man claimed he heard a noise in the darkness before pulling the trigger.
A source close to the investigation told Le Parisien: “He claims he mistook her for a rodent.”
The pellet reportedly struck the woman between the eyes, causing severe injuries.
An investigation into suspected attempted murder of a spouse has been launched. The husband was questioned by police following his arrest and was expected to appear in court on Monday.
